The benefits of the shot — including reduced hospitalization, intensive care unit admission and death — outweigh the risk of contracting Guillain-Barre syndrome, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices decided on Thursday.
In a simulated meeting with infected and uninfected participants, properly placed portable air cleaners with HEPA air filters slashed virus transmission. Adding masks was even more effective — cutting exposure by 90%, CDC researchers say.
Most residents were vaccinated early, and time from vaccination plays into waning effectiveness, CDC advisers say. What’s more, this population already requires special considerations for other vaccines. The WHO, meanwhile, forecasts annual COVID-19 boosters for seniors.
High vaccine efficacy in the United States means that “every death due to COVID-19 is particularly tragic because nearly every death, especially among adults … [is] entirely preventable,” said Rochelle Walensky, M.D., at a White House coronavirus briefing.
Many cases can be managed by primary care providers, federal health officials say. A lack of lab or imaging abnormalities does not invalidate the existence or severity of a patient’s symptoms or conditions, they emphasize.
An analysis of more than 7,000 IPC surveys finds that nursing homes have made “substantial” progress in taking up core elements of antibiotic stewardship as recommended by the agency.
New data offer a glimpse into how breakthrough infections may affect the health of U.S. adults who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
More than 90% of seniors’ emergency department visits are due to falls — and rates are increasing, the CDC says. The agency’s new Still Going Strong campaign offers prevention information and advice online. New ads initially will target four states known to have the high incidences of elder injuries.
New federal guidance on COVID-19 vaccinations in healthcare settings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention does not differentiate between nursing home staff members and residents, according to a top expert within the agency.
After nearly a year in lockdown, nursing home residents can participate in indoor visitation, communal dining and group activities — with exceptions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday.
